Empire: Total War  A New Beginning
by Eamon Gallagher
Summary: After the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, six friends are sent away to avoid the British, but they soon find that they cannot hide from the war.
1. Chapter 1

Empire: Total War – A New Beginning

**Synopsis**

In the year 1775, six teenagers are sent away by their parents to a fortified colony in the Appalachian Mountains. The American Revolution has just started at Lexington and Concord and the teens' parents want to keep them out of harm's way. But when all of their parents are killed by the British, one of the group members, named Christian, joins up with the Continental Army, and the action begins to unfold.

(Side note: the characters are based off of myself, five of my friends and my current love interest.)

**Chapter 1: A New Life**

The date was April 22, 1775, three days after the battles of Lexington and Concord. Six teenagers, all from the same town, were to be sent away by their parents to a new colony in the Appalachians. The group was composed of three young men and three young ladies. The first and oldest of the group was a young man named John Wilkinson. He was the son of a farmer and seemed insistent on following in his father's footsteps, as farmers were held in high honor at the time. He was also the tallest of the group, perhaps six feet tall. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a somewhat roundish face. The second oldest was his girlfriend, Margret Milner, the daughter of the town milkman. She was shorter than John Wilkinson, had blonde hair, blue eyes and was very religious. The youngest young man was named Andrew Hartmann, a blacksmith's apprentice. He was also the shortest of the group, with black hair, gray eyes and a dark complexion to his face. He also had a girlfriend, named Anna Schlager. She was a thin girl with light brown hair and eyes and a bit of a lighter complexion than that of her boyfriend. She was the daughter of a printer and didn't seem to have a set direction in life. The two in the middle weren't together however. The young man's name was Christian von München. He was knowledgeable in the art of war, as his father served in the Prussian Army as a young man, which would also explain his surname, von München. He had brown hair and eyes, a lighter complexion and, like Margret, he was quite religious. The young woman was Christian's recent love interest. Her name was Emma Chamberlain. She was shorter than Christian with blonde hair, brown eyes and a light complexion. She also had a very charming smile, at least that's what Christian thought. Emma was relatively new to the town, arriving only two years earlier, but Christian didn't really talk to her much at first. They officially met at the Harvest Dance that the town had every All Saints' Day. She was the first girl he had ever danced with. At the time, he was 15 and she was 14.

On April 22, they were all sent away to the colony. It wasn't really a colony so much as a sanctuary. It was a large star fort hidden in the Appalachians. Each member of the group was reluctant to leave their parents, but they insisted that it would be good for them. Emma was especially scared. She wasn't as independent as the other two girls. Her parents had watched over her for her whole life and being forced to leave them was extremely difficult. The rest of the group was ready to leave but Emma wasn't there.

"Where is she?" Anna said

"She's probably still saying good-bye to her parents." Margret replied.

"Ugh. Why doesn't she just get over it already?" Andrew groaned. Anna scolded him for being so heartless.

"I'll go get her." Christian replied as she went to her house. He entered and saw Emma sitting by the fireplace for the last time. "Emma…It's time."

She looked up at the young man and nodded tearfully. She got up and collected her pack. As she was getting ready to leave, her parents entered the room. She ran up to them and gave them one last good-bye.

"Christian," Mr. Chamberlain said, "I'm counting on you to look after our daughter. Can you do that for us?"

"Yes, sir." Christian replied. He then led Emma out of the house. "Don't worry, Emma. I'm going to make sure you're safe. Trust me." he said. Emma smiled and allowed Christian to slip his hand into hers. They walked over to the group and they set off for the fortress. It took them a day to reach the sanctuary, but when they arrived, they were amazed. The fort was enormous. It was set up in the shape of a star, so that any army that tried to attack couldn't assault the walls without being fired upon by the flank.

"My God!" Christian exclaimed. "I knew star forts were supposed to be big, but…Jesus!"

The gates opened for them and the group that they were travelling with and they were directed to the middle of the fort where they would be notified where they would be staying. As they stood in line, Christian felt Emma's hand interlink with his. He looked over at her and saw that she was a bit scared. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze and smiled at her. They then heard the director of the camp call out their names.

"Christian von München, Emma Chamberlain, Andrew Hartmann, Anna Schlager, John Wilkinson, and Margret Milner, you will be staying in housing block A28. They all looked at each other in a bit of surprise. They would all be staying together under the same roof. They arrived at the housing block and dropped their bags in their rooms. They then took a little tour of their living quarters. It was a relatively nice place to stay. It was spacious, comfortable and quite luxurious for a refugee camp. They then heard a knock at the door. Anna opened it and saw a short young man standing at the threshold.

"Ah, so you're the newcomers? Welcome to the Appalachian Sanctuary. My name is Henry Garside. I have been instructed to give you a tour of the fort."

He led the group around the fort. Inside, the fort was bigger than it looked. It housed an agricultural center, numerous blacksmith shops, a barracks, a church, a library, an infirmary and several brothels, many of which Henry was a regular customer. He led them into one of the brothels, which was more pleasant than Christian and Emma had anticipated, with more of the atmosphere of an Irish pub than an American brothel. There, Henry spoke to the three young men about finding an occupation.

"So," Henry began, "I've heard about the career paths that you're interested in. So John, I hear that you and your father were accomplished farmers."

"Well, he was. I was his apprentice, so to speak."

"Well, you must have learned a lot from him."

"I did. Perhaps there would be a possibility for a job in the agricultural field."

"I was just about to ask you that. we have a position for you as a farm worker. Would that be alright?"

"That would be fine."

"Excellent. Now you," Henry said, turning to Andrew, "you were a blacksmith's apprentice, weren't you?"

"Yeah." Andrew replied.

"Well, we have an opening at the smithy. Perhaps you would be interested."

"How much does it pay?"

Henry let out a bit of a chuckle. "How does sixpence an hour sound?"

"Sixpence an hour? Sign me up!"

"Excellent. And now the young Prussian man." Henry said turning to Christian. "We already have a job for you. You are going to be working at the barracks as a military instructor. I understand that you've been educated in the art of war."

"That is true. My father taught me everything I know. He even served in the Prussian Army for a time."

"Excellent. You start tomorrow. Oh, and you'll be starting out as a sergeant."

"A sergeant?"

"I hope that's acceptable."

"That's perfectly acceptable. Thank you."

"Well, that's all I needed. I'll let all of you go about your business." and with that, Henry Garside left the building.

That evening, as the group was settling in to their new home, a guard knocked on the door. Margret let him in and he called for John, Andrew and Christian. He was carrying a pouch of gunpowder, a musket and bayonet, a supply of musket ammunition and an early Continental Army uniform.

"Let's see here, John Wilkinson?'

"That's me." John said as he stepped forward.

"You'll be in the field tomorrow. You'll need…actually you'll be fine in what you're wearing. Uh, Andrew Hartmann?"

"That's me."

"You'll start work at the smithy tomorrow. You'll need sturdy clothing and an apron if possible."

"I've got those."

"Excellent. And finally, you must be Christian von München."

"That's right." Christian said as he stepped forward.

The guard handed him the uniform, weapon and ammo. "We've put your uniform together already, so you won't have to worry about that. You start work tonight. We're short one man for the nighttime guard on the walls so you'll be filling in. You'll be working a three hour shift starting at seven o'clock this evening."

"Yes, sir." Christian replied as he took the goods from the commander.

"Oh, I would also advise that you load your weapon before head up to the wall. The Brits have been sending a number of spies our way lately.'"

"It will be done, sir."

"Excellent. Welcome to the Continental Militia."

At, seven o'clock, Christian stepped out in his Continental uniform. It was a brown vest, white wool pants and a Continental tricorn hat. John and Andrew gave him a wolf whistle.

"The uniform suits you, sergeant." Andrew said sarcastically.

Anna lightly slapped Andrews arm. "Cut it out Andrew. He looks good in that."

"Thanks, Anna. I'd better get going. I'll be back at ten o'clock."

"Okay, Christian. We'll all be here when you get back."

As Christian left, John and Andrew went back to smirking. "Oh, shut up you guys." Emma said. "He looks really handsome in that." Suddenly, John and Andrew began to wolf whistle at her remark.

"Oh, sounds like someone has a bit of a soft spot for our resident sergeant." Emma then began to blush, and John and Andrew noticed this, which made them laugh even more. Anna and Margret stepped in and pushed the boys out of the room.

"Boys." Anna said while shaking her head.

"Yes, but they're our boys." Margret remarked and all three girls laughed. But then Anna and Margret began to go off on the tangent that the boys did.

"So, Emma," Anna began, "not to put you on the spot or anything, but, well, I'm just wondering that maybe you _do_ have a soft spot for Christian?" Emma's head shot up when she heard this and began to blush again. "I…I…I don't know. Maybe." she replied.

"If you do, you don't have to be embarrassed about it. The boys were just teasing you. Christian's a good man. He's hard working, honest, a soldier and, you said it yourself, he's pretty handsome."

"And it is pretty obvious that he has feelings for you too." Margret added.

Emma sat for a little while, thinking about it. Maybe she did like him. She probably wouldn't have let the fact that she thought he was handsome slip out if she didn't. She also knew that Christian had feelings for her. Maybe she had the same feelings for him…she did have the same feelings for him. She looked up and nodded her head with a smile. Anna and Margret hugged her in response.

"However, can you two keep a secret? I want Christian to tell me first."

Anna and Margret nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" Anna replied. Emma felt most comfortable talking to Anna. Not that she wasn't comfortable talking around Margret, but Anna was like a sister to her.

"What is having a boyfriend like? I know that sounds like a silly question, but I just want to know."

Anna and Margret smiled and told her about their "experience."

Meanwhile, Christian had arrived at the wall. One of the officers greeted him.

"Ah, you're Sergeant von München?"

"Yes, sir." Christian replied.

"Glad you could make it. The job is pretty simple. The Brits have been sending spies our way and we need to stop them from reporting back to the army. Just keep an eye out for anyone who looks suspicious. If they start running, shoot them."

"It will be done, sir." Christian then began his shift. For the first few hours, it was relatively slow. He had a chance to meet a few of the soldiers, many of them older than him but of lower ranks. At about 9:30, the action started. Christian looked out beyond the wall and noticed a small figure. It couldn't have been an animal as it looked like it was standing on two legs. There was a corporal near where he was and he ordered him to surrender his field glasses. Christian examined the figure and noticed that it was a man. He quickly pointed his musket at the man. "Hold it right there!" he shouted and the figure took off, running. Remembering orders, he opened fire. The others on the wall heard this and ran over to where Christian was. They were ready to fire but it wasn't necessary. Christian's shot had met its mark and the man was incapacitated.

"Go arrest that man!" the commanding officer shouted. "Who fired that?"

"That was the Prussian, sir."

"von München?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, that was an excellent shot."

"Thank you, sir. My father was the one who taught me the proper way to fire a musket."

"He taught you well."

The prisoner was brought into the fort and was to be interrogated the following day. Christian headed back to the house. He entered the door and was immediately greeted by questions.

"Christian, what happened up there? We heard a gunshot while you were out." Emma said straight away.

"There was a British spy just outside the wall. That gunshot was me."

"Really? Did you hit him?" Anna asked.

"Right in the leg. He's being held in the infirmary. We'll interrogate him later."

"You hit him in one shot?" John asked in amazement.

"Damn straight."

"God! I guess that's why you shouldn't mess with a Prussian." Andrew laughed.

"Ich bin ein Preuße und will ein Preuße sein, mein Freund." Christian replied. They all laughed at his German remark. Emma was fairly impressed at the fact that he could speak German.

"It's good to know your safe." she said. John and Andrew began to smirk again and Anna and Margret slapped them on their shoulders.

"Why don't you two just go to bed?" Margret said. Andrew and John headed to their rooms while Anna and Margret followed. Emma was headed for her room when she noticed that Christian wasn't following the group.

"Christian, aren't you going to bed?" she asked.

"I'm going to stay up and clean my gun." He replied. He went over and sat down by the fireside and began cleaning his gun. Emma then turned to sit down beside him. Christian looked at her and smiled. There was a bit of a silence before Emma spoke up.

"So what was it like; guard duty?"

"Eh, there's not much to talk about. It was pretty boring; just pace the walls, keep an eye out for the enemy and report your status to the first soldier you approach. It wasn't that exciting until that spy showed up."

"Hm. So, you actually hit that spy with just one shot?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Wow. I thought muskets weren't very accurate."

"Well, like Andrew said, that's why you shouldn't mess with a Prussian."

Emma giggled a bit at his remark. "That reminds me, I didn't know you could speak German."

"My father began teaching me at a young age. I became fluent in the language at age 14."

"Really? What was it that you said to Andrew when you came in?"

"It means, 'I am a Prussian and I want nothing else than to be a Prussian.'"

"What was it in German again?"

"Ich bin ein Preuße und will ein Preuße sein. That's actually a line from the Prussian national anthem."

"How does the Prussian anthem go?"

"You don't want to hear me sing that." Christian laughed.

"I've heard you sing before. You're really good. Please?"

Christian chuckled and cleared his throat and began singing.

_**Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?  
>Die Fahne schwebt mir weiß und schwarz voran.<br>Daß für die Freiheit meine Väter starben,  
>Das deuten, merkt es, meine Farben an.<strong>_

_**Nie werd' ich bang verzagen,  
>Wie jene will ich's wagen<br>Sei's trüber Tag, sei's heitrer Sonnenschein,  
>Ich bin ein Preuße, will ein Preuße sein!<strong>_

He finished singing and stared at the fire.

"Your father taught you that?" Emma said.

"Mm-hmm."

She smiled and rubbed his shoulder. "You must miss him."

Christian smiled at Emma. "I know that leaving your parents was difficult for you, but you seem to be taking this pretty well. I'm proud of you."

Emma smiled at the young man. The two locked eyes and began leaning toward each other. Their heads tilted and just before their lips touched, they heard a smirk from one of the rooms. They looked over to see John and Andrew standing there. _Those two are the most immature people on the face of the Earth, _Christian thought. "You two would make terrible spies. Now go to bed already!" Christian laughed. The two retired back to their rooms and Christian refocused his attention on the young lady sitting at his side. "You should get some rest too." he said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, Christian." She gave him a tight hug. "I'm glad you're alright." Christian smiled. He was never in any real danger on the wall, but he appreciated her concern. She then stood up and began to head to her room. "Goodnight, Christian."

"Goodnight, Emma." and she went into her room. Christian returned his gaze to the fire. He said a prayer before heading to bed himself. He thanked God for letting him know that his feelings toward Emma were mutual.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Starting From Scratch**

That first night was uneasy for Emma. All night she lay awake in her bed, thinking of the young Prussian she was beginning to fall in love with. This was a chance for a fresh start. Could that mean that she could tell Christian how she felt? Christian thought the same thing. A fresh start might mean a chance to tell Emma that from that one moment on All Saints' Day, that one dance, he fell in love with her. He decided that he would let that sink in while he was at work at the barracks.

At about five o'clock, Emma was out of bed, staring out into the distance. She was thinking about the night before; the night when she and Christian nearly locked lips. They probably would have if it hadn't been for the immaturity of Andrew and John. She knew that moment wouldn't have sparked if they didn't have mutual feelings for each other. She finally surrendered and began to tell herself that it was true; she was in love with Christian von München. And why not? She began to think about what Anna and Margret had told her. There was nothing to be ashamed of in loving Christian. He was honest, hard working, and even she agreed that he was a handsome young man. She loved him and she couldn't wait for _him_ to say it first. She left her room and went to Christian's door intent on telling him how she felt about him, but when she reached the door, it was already open and Christian was gone. She also noticed that not only was he gone, but so were his uniform, musket and ammunition. She then heard a bugler playing Reveille outside. She went to the window and saw the troops lining up outside. At that point she discerned that Christian must have gotten up early to begin work at the barracks.

She witnessed the soldiers snap to attention and the commander called all men to a salute or 'present arms' position as the bugler played 'To The Colors' as the flag was raised. As soon as the flag was raised, the men were dismissed and Christian took command of his new brigade. Many of the soldiers in the brigade were fairly new recruits. "Alright gentlemen," Christian started, "welcome to the 52nd Brigade. My name is Sergeant Christian von München. I want to start you men off by having you show me what you are physically capable of; shooting, melee, and physical strength." Christian then led them to the combat range out in the back of the barracks. He formed them into ranks and set up hand-to-hand training dummies for them to practice on. "You there," he said, pointing to a soldier, "let me see what you've got. Go on and give that decoy what for." The recruit jogged up and barely hit the dummy, knocking it to the ground. "No! Not like that! That's your enemy, man! Make sure he's dead." The recruit did the exact same thing. "Right. Never mind." Christian grabbed another recruit and gave him the same orders, generating the same result. "Oh, we have so much work to do." he sighed to himself. That day, he exposed his men to the kind of military training that his father gave him; the kind of training that shaped who he was; Prussian training.

"Form ranks!" he shouted and the men took their positions. "First rank, charge bayonets!" and they did so. "Charge!" The men charged but did the same as the other two recruits did. Christian shook his head and ordered the other ranks to charge, generated the same results as Christian buried his face in his palm. "Warum Gott? Was habe ich getan um das zu verdienen?" he muttered. He decided to start from scratch and tested their physical capabilities first. They were the saddest group of soldiers he had ever met in his life. Many of them could barely accomplish ten pushups. At this point, the Prussian training method was introduced. Prussian training basically worked like this: Week one) Separate the men from the boys. Week two) Separate the men from the fools. Week three) The fools are sent into battle first. Christian ordered the men to step forward one at a time for pushups. He had them assume the pushup position and then began to push down on their back with his foot. The men struggled but Christian's only response was "Auf! Schneller! (Up! Faster!)" He kept shouting and shouting until they finally collapsed. When one boy finally collapsed, Christian had had enough. "Disgraceful." he said to the boy. "These are the soldiers they sent me? In your current state, you men couldn't fight off chipmunks, let alone the British!"

The boy then stood up. "Sir, we are capable of being soldiers!"

"I'll believe it when I see it!" Christian shouted.

"We can show you!"

"Then do it!" The boy took the pushup position again and Christian placed his foot on his back. The boy struggled to get up but Christian kept shouting "Auf! Schneller!" Soon, the boy proved stronger than his sergeant and pushed himself up. He did it again, and again, and again, and again. Christian smiled and helped the boy to his feet. He looked at the rest of the men. "If this man can do it," he said, pointing to the boy, "then the rest of you can do it too. Line up!" The men took their positions one at a time as Christian placed his foot on their backs. They struggled at first, but soon, like the boy, they managed to best the strength of their Prussian commander. He led them outside to work again on their prowess with the musket. "Form ranks!" he shouted, and the men did so. However, when ordered to charge, Christian got the same result as before. "No!" he shouted. He went up to a soldier and seized his weapon. He then ran up to the practice dummy and thrust his bayonet through its midsection, knocked it to the ground, and stabbed it again.

"That is your enemy, men. Do not show any mercy, because you sure as hell won't get any from the British. Reform your ranks!" The men formed up and Christian ordered them to charge their bayonets. "This time, give no mercy. First rank, charge!" the first rank moved forward and destroyed the practice dummies that were set up before them. The following ranks did the same. For the rest of the morning until noon, it was intense training; pushups, sit-ups, melee, shooting, and everything to help the men prepare for the harshest battle conditions. At noon the bugle sounded for lunch. "Excellent job today, men. How long do you usually have for lunch?" Christian asked.

"About five minutes." one of the soldiers replied.

"That's it? Well, you men had to go through _Prussian_ training, so I'm going to go ahead and give you an hour and a half. You men earned it." The men looked at each other in amazement. A break of that length was very rare. This also allowed Christian to have a little relaxation as trying to get these men in shape in just one day was both mentally and physically exhausting. He decided to go and take a short walk before heading to one of the brothels for lunch. While on his walk he bumped into the girls. "Hey, Christian. How's training going?" Margret asked.

"Very well. The men are doing fine."

"Well, that's good." Emma said. "Are they being treated well?"

"Yes, they are. I just gave them a ninety minute break, which is eighty-five minutes longer than usual."

"That's nice of you. We were just on our way to see our boys. Well, that is Margret and me." Anna said in a bit of a suggestive tone. Emma knew that she was trying to drop Christian a bit of a hint. Unknown to her, Christian knew this too and sent them on their way, leaving just him and Emma.

"Well…uh…" Emma stuttered. Christian chuckled a bit and offered his arm to the girl that he loved. (Quick footnote: In the 1700s, the word 'like' wasn't used like it is in today's world. Back then, they just said 'love'. This footnote was just to clear up any potential confusion or anything like that.)

The two walked along just talking. Emma talking about where she came from originally, as Christian never really learned that, and Christian talked about his father's service in the Prussian Army. Then Emma asked, "Christian, do you think we'll ever see our parents again?" Christian looked down at Emma and gave her a small hug. "Hard to say. I suppose we'll just have to leave it in His hands." Emma smiled and returned Christian's hug. Just then, the bugler for the 52nd Brigade sounded the end of their lunch break. "Well, I'd better get going, Emma. I'll see you guy's later this evening."

"Okay, Christian. We'll see you this evening." Before leaving, Emma gave Christian a quick kiss on the cheek. Christian watched as Emma walked away, smiling at her. He then returned to the barracks to put the men through more training. As he entered the barracks, he was happy to find that they were already lined up and ready to go. They were put through more of the same training as earlier. Near 4:30, Christian decided to test their skills with the musket.

"Form ranks!" he shouted and the men lined up into five ranks. He decided to set up a scenario for the men; their line had been broken by the British and Christian wanted to give the enemy one last parting gift before retreating. He then had the bugler sound 'Retreat'. The bugler began to play and Christian gave his orders. "First rank! Fire!" and they did so.

"Second rank! Fire!  
>Third rank! Fire!<br>Fourth rank! Fire!  
>Fifth rank! Fire!" To finish off the exercise, Christian pulled out his flintlock pistol and shot the dummy that represented the enemy officer.<p>

"Excellent job, men. At this rate you'll be exactly where I want you within a week. Dismissed."

As Christian began to pack up, he was approached by the boy that stood up to him. The boy must have been only twelve or thirteen years old.

"Ah, is there anything I can do for you?" Christian asked.

"Yes, sir. Is there any way to load a musket faster?" the boy asked.

"I'm afraid not. Don't worry. You'll learn how to load faster over time."

"Thank you, sir."

"Absolutely. I hope I wasn't too hard on you this morning. Believe me, my intention isn't to be cruel. I'm trying to prepare you to fight the British and they are the ones who are truly cruel."

"I'll be fine, sir. I understand what you want from us and I'll do my best."

Christian smiled and patted the boy's head before dismissing him. Christian then headed back to his living block where the group was waiting for him. All of the boys were exhausted.

"How's everyone?" Christian asked.

"Tired." John replied and Christian chuckled. "How about you?" John asked.

"Same."

"How was training?"

"Good. Very good. The men are doing fine."

"Good."

"How was farm work?"

"It went pretty well. I caught the others trying to sow a field of strawberries."

"What's so bad about that?" asked Margret.

"The field would've failed due to the summer heat. That would have lost a whole crop."

"So what are you planting there now?" Christian asked.

"We're going with tomatoes."

"What about you, Andrew?" Christian asked.

"It was alright. You guys should be getting a new supply of bayonets tomorrow."

Christian laughed at Andrew's remark. "That's good to know." The group sat around the fire, talking about their day. Emma then walked into the room to see Christian sitting there. Christian looked around to see her and smiled.

"Hi, Christian. I'm glad you're home." she said.

"Good to see you, Emma." Christian replied. Andrew and John looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Christian then allowed Emma into the conversation. The talking continued until about 6:30, that is Emma and Christian talked until about 6:30. The others left about 15 minutes earlier, leaving the two alone.

"It sounds like you've really got your hands full at the barracks." Emma laughed.

"Well, these men are doing very well."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Christian laughed a bit.

"Christian?" Emma said.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think we're safe here? I've been hearing some things from the others that the British are going to attack us any day. Honestly…I kind of scared."

Christian went over to Emma's side and put his arm around her waist. "I'm sure we'll be fine here. Even if the British do attack, I'm going to be up on those walls defending this place. And if my men keep it up at this pace, we'll give the Brits something to be afraid of."

Emma leaned her head against Christian's shoulder and he wrapped his other hand around her.

"Christian, can you promise me something?"

"Anything."

"…Just be safe out there."

Christian smiled at her and the two locked eyes and again began to lean toward each other. Just before they kissed, they were interrupted again, this time by a knock on the door. Christian looked up and thought _Really, God? Really?_ He stood up and answered the door to see a corporal was standing there.

"Ah, Sergeant von München. You're on guard duty for tonight."

"Very well. I'll be there." he said and closed the door. "Well, I guess I should get ready."

He came out of his room a few minutes later in his uniform. Once again, Emma thought he looked very handsome and gave him a little smile. "I'll be back shortly, Emma. I won't be gone as long tonight."

"Okay. I'll be here when we get back." Before Christian left, he walked over and gave her a little kiss on the cheek; a repayment for hers. "I'll see you later tonight."

"I'll see you later." Emma replied. As Christian walked out the door, she whispered "I love you."

Later on the wall, Christian was lost in thought about the girl that he loved so much. While he was thinking, one of the others came up to him. "Well, I've seen that kind of a face before." said the soldier. He was a tall soldier, a bit round and had a strong voice. "You've got someone on your mind, don't you?" Christian smiled and nodded. "My name's James, James Watson." he said as he held out his hand to Christian. "My name's Christian von München."

"Von München? That's a German name isn't it?"

"Mm-hmm. I was born in Hildesheim, Prussia."

"Interesting. Cigarette?"

"No. I don't smoke."

"So who is she?"

"Who's who?"

"This girl you're thinking of."

"Her name's Emma Chamberlain."

"Hmm. Well, I can tell your whole story just by the look on your face. You've fancied her for a long time."

"Two years."

"You've never had the courage to tell her yet but I can see a look of conflict on your face. Your thinking that since this is a new start, you may be gaining the confidence to tell her."

'You ever thought about being a palm reader?" Christian joked.

James laughed at this. "I tell you what, I was just like you. The girl's name was Victoria. She's now my girlfriend, but before that, I was exactly like you. But when we came here a year ago, it was a new start so I decided, _what the hell do I have to lose_."

"I suppose so."

"Just give it some thought."

"I'm just afraid of what she thinks."

"What do you think? More importantly, what do you feel?"

Christian thought for a while before thinking about those two occasions when he and Emma nearly met lips. "I think she does." James smiled and nodded.

"Well, good luck with Emma."

"Thanks. Well, my time's up. I'll talk to you later."

"You going to tell Emma?"

"She's probably asleep, but maybe tomorrow. What the hell do I have to lose?"

"Well, good luck."

"Thanks. It's been a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise." And with that, Christian left for his housing block feeling better than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: First Kiss, First Love, First Wound**

Christian finally returned to the house and entered to see Emma sitting in the living room. Christian beamed a smile at her, which he returned.

"Hey, Emma. It's pretty late. Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?" Christian asked.

"I don't know. I'm feeling a bit restless."

"Is something wrong?" Christian asked in a concerned tone.

"Well," Emma replied, "I have two things on my mind."

"Well, why don't we talk about it? Maybe I can help."

Emma began to well up a little bit, and Christian could see it. "Well…I'm still worried about our parents. The war is really escalating and I'm just worried if we'll ever see them again."

Christian sat down next to her and held her in his arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder and began to let a few tears out.

"It'll be just fine, Emma. I promise you. God is watching over us and our parents. I'm sure he'll protect them." Emma smiled and looked into Christian's eyes. "What was the second thing?"

Emma felt her heart leap up into her throat. "Well…it's about…you."

"Me?"

Emma nodded her head and wiped some of the tears from her eyes. "Yes. I've been thinking about you and me back home, and I can't help asking you…do you love me?" Christian went silent for a moment. "I don't want to put you on the spot, but I just want to know." Christian smiled at the young woman before nodding his head. "Yes, Emma. I do love you. Very much so."

Emma began to tear up again, but she had a smile on her face. "I was hoping you did." she said. "I love you too, Christian." When Christian heard this, his heart sang. He had wanted to hear that for so long and now those words had finally reached his ears. He and Emma looked each other in the eyes and, for a third time, began to lean toward each other. Their eyes began to close as their lips drew near and finally, their lips met. Christian felt his spirit soaring as he held his love in his arms. They ended the kiss and stared each other in the eyes and smiled. Once again, Emma leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I've never felt this strongly about anyone before in my life, Emma. I can't tell you how happy you've made me…I love you."

"I love you too." And their lips met again. They sat together for a few more minutes, simply enjoying each other's company. "Well, it's getting late. We should probably get some rest."

"Okay, Christian." The two stood up and Christian led Emma to her room. Before entering, Christian gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at the feel of his lips. "Goodnight, Christian."

"Goodnight, Emma." And with that, he left for his room. Both of them began to fall asleep happy that their feelings for each other were mutual. But their peace wouldn't last very long. At about eleven o'clock, Christian awoke to a low 'boom' in the distance that was quickly followed by a loud 'crash'. He shot up and ran over to his window and heard many more 'booms'. The crashes that followed were accompanied by clouds of dust. These were artillery shots. Christian knew exactly what was happening; they were under attack by the British Army. Christian quickly got out of bed and started to change into his uniform. He quickly ran to the living room where he had left his musket. As he was loading, Emma came into the room.

"Christian, what's happening?" she said in a voice of terror.

"Well, you know what you heard about how the British were going to attack any day now? It looks like that wasn't far from the truth." Emma's eyes widened as when she heard this. As Christian was about ready to walk out the door, she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. She looked deep into his eyes and placed her hand on his cheek. "Remember…be careful."

"I will." and Christian pulled her into a kiss as he embraced her. While they were kissing, Anna came into the room and saw them while they were embracing. When the two broke the kiss, they turned to see Anna smiling at the two. Her smile was wiped away by the sound of a cannonball smashing into a building. "Alright, I need to go. Anna, wake Andrew up. We're going to need all smithies working at full capacity."

"Alright."

"Okay." Christian then turned to face Emma again. "I'll be back."

"Okay, Christian. I love you."

"I love you too." After giving Emma a kiss on the cheek he left for the battle. Emma looked over at Anna who was wide eyed and smiling.

"You two…" Anna said and Emma nodded with a smile on her face. The two girls embraced each other both in tears of joy. Suddenly they began to hear gunshots and their smiles faded. Emma began to breathe a bit heavily, knowing that the one she loved was out there.

"I'll go wake Andrew and the others…It's going to be fine Emma." Anna said and left to go wake everyone up.

Meanwhile, outside, the battle was heating up. Christian ran for the wall with his gun in hand as cannonballs fell all around him. He managed to reach the top of the wall where he got a good look at the British army. There must have been at least 5,000 enemy soldiers on the field. He was absolutely mesmerized at the size of the enemy that he didn't realize that he was standing in plain view of them until a musket ball flew passed his face. As soon as he snapped out of it, he ducked and prepared his shot. He had prepared small charges of gunpowder so that he wouldn't have to worry about how much powder he was putting into the flintlock. As soon as his gun was ready, he stuck his head over the wall and fired his first shot at the British army, the most powerful army in the world.

As he took cover again and began to reload, he saw a thirteen-year-old boy sitting there in tears. It was the boy that Christian had trained back at the barracks. Christian went over next to him, crouching all the way as to avoid being shot by the Brits.

"It's going to be alright, boy." Christian said in an attempt to calm him. "We'' this is some fix we've got isn't it? Listen, I know you're scared, but just think of this as…on-the-job training."

"Yes, sir." the boy said in a shaky voice.

"Alright, now follow me. We're going to meet up with a friend of mine." The two crawled over to where James Watson was reloading his weapon. "James!" Christian shouted. "Ah, just in time. We're losing quite a few men. Who's this?"

"This is one of my trainees…uh…what's your name?"

"Terrance Gladstone, sir."

"Right. You said you're losing men?"

"That's right."

Alright. Terrance, listen up. Here's how you load a gun." Christian took his musket and placed the muzzle by his side. He ordered Terrance to do the same. He then poured gunpowder down the barrel for about three seconds. He took a patch and placed it on top of the muzzle before pulling out his ramrod and jamming the patch down the barrel, sealing in the gunpowder. He then tossed Terrance a small amount of gunpowder that he had encased in a piece of paper and ordered him to place it in the flintlock. Christian's idea of pre-proportioned charges would eventually lead to the creation of the percussion cap in the 1830's.

"Alright, Terrance. Just think of this as one of the drills at the barracks. You're in one of the ranks and you're waiting for my order. Ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"James, are you ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Ready…Fire!" As soon as Christian yelled this, he, James, and Terrance stood up and fired down on the British troops. It was Terrance's first shot in anger at the Brits. Christian continued to 'drill' Terrance throughout the fight. The battle continued for another fifteen minutes. Suddenly, as they were reloading, a grappling hook flew over the wall and hooked onto the side. Christian immediately pulled out his knife and began to work on cutting the rope.

"What are you doing?" Terrance asked in confusion. "According to the rules of engagement, the enemy must be allowed to scale the walls so that they may have a chance to fight us on equal ground, so cutting the ropes is against—"

"It's also against the rules of engagement to attack a sanctuary! I don't think the rules of engagement apply in this battle!" Christian replied as he cut the rope and enemy troops scaling the wall fell. "Cut the ropes!" he shouted and everyone looked at him in confusion. "You heard him!" James shouted. "Cut the ropes!" Soon, all the men on the walls were shouting, "Cut the ropes!" and all did so. The British were outraged, of course, and began to bring up their grenadiers. As Christian and Terrance were reloading, Christian saw a large metal ball with a lit fuse land right next to James. "James!" he shouted as he ran over, grabbed the grenade and threw it back at the enemy. It exploded in the air, just beneath them but above the enemy, causing shrapnel to rain down on the British.

The British again changed tactics. They started up their artillery again and the line infantry fired off volleys between salvos, giving the American's a very small window of opportunity to fire. It also had a bit of a psychological effect on the troops, even Christian. The gap between salvos and volleys was sometimes inconsistent, throwing some of the men off and they would look over the wall as the British infantry fired off a volley. This happened to Christian. In an effort to quickly reload his weapon and fire, he completely forgot to wait for his window of opportunity and stood up just as the British fired off another volley. All of the shots hit the wall, except for one that went straight into Christian's stomach. He then fell to the ground and squeezed out the words, "Damn it all!" James and Christian ran to his side and began to try to heal his wound, but it was too great. As they were tending to him, they heard the men begin to cheer. James looked back over the wall and saw that the British were retreating. James immediately called for a stretcher bearer to take him to the infirmary. They did so. Anna was working in the infirmary during and after the battle and was there when they brought Christian in. she turned around to see him lying there with a large wound in his stomach and she placed her hands over her mouth. Christian looked over at her and Anna could see the fear in his eyes she immediately ran back to the house to get the others.

She ran inside the house to see Emma sitting here with Margret and John. "Everyone, come quickly! Christian's wounded!" Emma's eyes shot open and began to fill with tears. The three of them race for the infirmary and Anna led them to where Christian was laying. Emma gasped when she saw the wound in his side and tears began to stream down her face. She knelt down and grasped his hand as he looked over at her and smiled. "Hey, Emma." he said in a quite tone.

"Oh, Christian! What happened?" Emma asked tearfully.

"British line infantry made a lucky shot."

Emma was on the verge of weeping after seeing Christian's wound. "The British didn't give us much of a chance to fire," James said, "and when Christian stood up to fire, the Brits gave him a volley."

"Is he going to be alright?" Emma asked James.

"We don't know. The doctors will have to decide that."

The group was led outside the room while the doctors worked on Christian's wound. The surgery went on for about twenty minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to Emma. The whole time, she was praying that Christian would live. After she finished praying, one of the doctors came out and told them that Christian had made it. He was give bromine to kill the bacteria that causes gangrene, a medicine that wouldn't be use on a large scale until the latter half of the Civil War.

Emma went back in to see Christian lying on his cot with his abdomen wrapped in a bandage. She knelt down by his side and held his hand again. He stood up and began to brush his hand against her cheek.

"I thought you promised that you would be safe." Emma joked.

"Hey…I'm still alive." Christian replied and the two shared a long, passionate kiss. This was the first time John and Andrew had seen the two kiss and their jaws dropped. They had joked around about Emma and Christian becoming a couple, but they weren't serious about it. Now to see them actually kiss was a bit of a shock to them. Of course their reactions made Margret and Anna laugh and the two led their mesmerized boyfriends away, leaving Christian and Emma alone.

"Well, I should probably let you get some rest." Emma said.

"Yeah, that would probably be best."

"How long do you have to stay here?"

"About four days."

"Well, I'll make sure to visit you."

Christian smiled at his girl's little promise. Emma kissed his forehead before leaving. "I love you, Emma." Christian said.

"I love you too…I'm so happy that you're alright." After one more kiss, Emma left and Christian finally passed out due to fatigue.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Greatest Loss**

For four days, Christian rested in the infirmary, the pain never seeming to leave his wound. As Emma promised, she was a regular visitor. Christian described her as a better nurse than any of the nurses in the infirmary. Every day she made sure that he was getting enough rest, that his wound was healing properly and that he was comfortable. Christian would always tell her that he was perfectly fine, but that didn't stop Emma from tending to him. He appreciated it very much. After four days, he was allowed to leave. He found it a bit difficult to stand up as he hadn't used his legs for a while. The pain of his wound didn't help either. He grabbed his musket and began to walk back to the housing block. As he entered the door, he saw John and Andrew holding Margret and Anna in their arms. The two girls were in tears.

"What's going on?" Christian asked in a confused/concerned tone. John just looked at him in the eye before lowering his head. He then whipped around to see Emma who also had a few tears in her eyes. "Emma…what happened."

"Our hometown…it was attacked by the British." Emma replied. Emma then gestured to John, Andrew, Margret and Anna. "Their parents were…were killed." Christian's eyes widened when he heard this.

"What about your parents! Are they okay?" Christian asked. Emma nodded her head. "They sent us the letter informing us about…what happened." Christian felt a surge of relief come over him as he took Emma in an embrace. When they separated, Emma gave her boyfriend the news.

"Christian…there's another thing."

"What?"

Emma then handed him the letter and he began to read it. As he read the last portion of the letter, his heart sank, his eyes widened, his breathing grew deep and he nearly collapsed as the wall caught him. His father, Mathias von München, was dead. He was among the first casualties. Emma had never seen Christian this horrified. He let the letter slip out of his hands and he stumbled to his room. Emma then picked up the letter and tears began to fall from her eyes. She hated the fact that she had to give this kind of news to the one she loved. Not only that, but the fact that her own parents had lived caused a maelstrom of different emotions among the group. Christian was devastated by his father's death, but because of his love for Emma, he was extremely happy for her that her parents had survived. Anna was equally devastated, but she thought of Emma as the sister she never had and was also happy that her parents were still alive. Margret was slightly annoyed, but because of her religious nature, she knew that it would be wrong to envy and was happy for Emma. John and Andrew were not exactly in the same boat. John was quite annoyed by the fact that Emma did not have to go through what they were. Why should God have saved her parents and not theirs? Andrew was even more annoyed and because he demanded an explanation for the attack on their town, he even went as far as accusing Emma of being a spy for the British, stating that "it must be her. Her last name is a British name so it makes sense." It was a good thing that he didn't say that in front of Christian otherwise the Prussian wouldn't have hesitated to put a bullet in his head.

Emma followed Christian and received an evil eye from Andrew as she passed through the living room. She went up and quietly opened Christian's door to see him sitting at his desk, fiddling with a cross that his father had given him. Mathias had given Christian that cross the day of his Catholic Confirmation. His father described that day as the proudest moment of his life next to the birth of his son. Thinking back to that day, Christian began to let tears fall from his eyes. Emma had never seen him like that before and was afraid that Christian hated her as much as the other two boys did. She entered and took a seat next to Christian. He turned his head to see her and smiled at her. Tears were flowing from her own eyes as she stared into Christian's.

"What's wrong?" Christian asked.

"You hate me, don't you?" Emma said in a very shaky tone of voice.

"What?" Christian replied in a tone of shock.

"John and Andrew hate me. They're angry at me for my parents' survival. You hate me too don't you?"

Christian took Emma in a tight embrace as he allowed her to cry into his shoulder. "I could never hate you, Emma. I'm actually really happy for you. You don't have to go through what we are. The feeling of losing your parents is just…terrible. I'm glad you don't have to know what it's like." Emma continued to cry into Christian's shoulder as he held her there, comforting her. After a while, he lifted her chin and brought her gazed to him. "I love you." he said in a calm, gentle voice.

"I love you too. I'm so sorry about your father." Emma replied and Christian initiated a passionate kiss. The kiss lasted for several minutes, neither of the two wanting to break away. The kiss was finally broken by the sound of a fight between John and Andrew in the other room. The two ran out to see what was happening.

"You are overreacting Andrew!" John yelled.

"Overreacting? You bastard! It's her fault!" he shouted pointing to Emma who took a step closer to Christian. "She's a spy for the British!"

"What proof do you have?" John replied.

"Her name! Her last name is a British name!"

"So is mine! Her name doesn't prove anything! Besides, your last name is German and the Hessians are helping the British! How do we know that you're not the spy!"

"You son of a bitch!" and Andrew pulled out a pistol and held it up to John, but before he could pull the trigger, John tackled him to the ground. As they were fighting, Christian kept trying to pull them apart. The two just kept fighting, each intent on making sure the other one felt the consequence of what they said. The fight was broken by a very loud 'BANG' which made the three girls shriek simultaneously. They looked over toward the hallway to see Christian emerge out of a white cloud of smoke with his musket in hand and the most furious look on his face.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as he stepped forward and, with one hand, pulled Andrew to his feet before doing the same to John. He threw them both against the wall and told them both to shut the hell up and listen. The two did so in fear of the Prussian, as although he had fired of his shot, he still had his bayonet attached to the barrel.

"I know exactly what we are all feeling and I don't know who is responsible for the deaths of our parents, but pointing guns and accusations at one another isn't going to bring them back! You two are behaving like children, and if you're going to act like children, then you're going to be treated like children! Andrew, go the other room! You two need to be separated for a while!" As Andrew began to walk away, Christian stopped him. "And one more thing, Andrew. If you ever speak of Emma that way ever again, I will kill you and I'll make it look like it was an accident. Do you understand me?" Andrew was silent for a while before Christian shouted "Verstehst du mich, Junge!" Andrew nodded rapidly before heading into the other room. "Unglaublich!" Christian muttered (which means _unbelievable_). The three girls were absolutely amazed. For so long, they had known Christian to be relatively quiet and now seeing him like this was so strange, and almost frightening.

In the days that followed, Christian kept a sharp eye on the group, making sure that an episode like that never happened again. He would eventually come to be looked at as the father figure of the group. However, looking after everyone was quite difficult, as the British began to attack the sanctuary 'round the clock. Every other hour, it would seem like Christian would be up on the wall, defending his friends. This time, he made sure that he waited for his window of opportunity to fire on the enemy, for Emma's sake of course. He didn't want to have someone knock on the door to tell her that he was gone. While on the wall, he kept telling himself, "Salvo, volley, fire. Salvo, volley, fire." And, like the other night, the defenders made absolutely certain that the British didn't make it over the wall. The fighting was intense. Every time the British attacked, they attacked by the thousands. It almost seemed as though the entire British Army was bearing down on the sanctuary. However, it wasn't a complete loss. Christian took this opportunity to give the 52nd Brigade a bit of on-the-job training, and, as Christian predicted, they were right at the level he wanted. Not only that, but they had become a battle hardened regiment. Still, the continuous stream of enemy troop took its toll on the men. Casualties mounted, fatigue set in and tempers flared among the troops. Christian was definitely falling victim to fatigue and Emma could see it. Every night after a battle he would enter his room and just collapse on his bed.

The attacks continued for another week and it was a miracle that the Continental Militia had been able to hold out for so long. One night, Emma went into Christian's room. He was fast asleep. She noticed that there was a book on his desk and she read it. It was his personal journal. The entries included the status of the 52nd Brigade, battle statistics and his own thoughts on the battle. She read the latest entry dated 14 May, 1775:

_The British have not let up on their attacks. Every wave is at least three thousand strong and our casualties are mounting fast. The men are fighting amongst themselves due to fatigue and it also shows in how the battles are fought. Our men aren't aware that their lives are at stake anymore. I am also beginning to feel the strain of battle fatigue. The 52__nd__ has improved tremendously though. If the British were to give us just one day of rest, the 52__nd__ could hold out on the walls alone. I just pray that I'll be able to live long enough to see that day._

When Emma finished reading, she looked over at the Prussian commander who lay sound asleep due to the rage of battle. She went over and kissed his cheek before whispering, "Please don't die, Christian."

The next day, as Christian was getting ready to head out to the wall, they heard a knock on the door. Andrew went and opened the door to see a soldier dressed in a Prussian uniform standing there.

"Entschuldigen Sie bitte. Ist Feldwebel Christian von München zu Hause?"

Andrew looked at the man with a confused look on his face. "I have no idea what you just said but I take it you're looking for Christian?"

"Ja, Feldwebel Christian von München."

"Christian!" Christian then entered to see the soldier standing there.

"Guten Morgen, mein Herr. Was kann ich für Sie tun?"

"Ich habe ein Paket für Sie aus Königsberg, Preußen."

"Königsberg?"

"Jawohl."

"Nun…ich danke Ihnen."

"Bitteschön. Ich muss jetzt gehen. Ich muss das Boot zurück an Preußen zu fangen. Gott sei mit euch."

"Und Sie. Wenn sie nichts dagegen haben mich gefragt, was ein Teil von Preußen kommen Sie her?"

"Ach, ich komme aus Hildesheim."

"…Hildesheim?"

"Jawohl."

"…Nun…ich danke Ihnen nochmals. Gott sei mit euch."

"Danke. Und auch mit dir."

Christian closed the door and examined the package that he received. It was indeed sent from Königsberg, the capital of Prussia. Christian then opened the package and read the letter that was included. It was written in German, but the others wanted to know what it read, so he read it out loud in English.

_To Sergeant Christian von München, commander of the famed 52__nd__ Colonial Brigade,_

_word has reached my ears of the death of your father, Mathias von München. As you can tell, word spreads fast in Prussia. You may have heard from him that he served in the Prussian Army, but what he probably didn't tell you is that he was one of my top generals. He was a fine soldier and was beloved among his men. The news of his death has struck quite a blow to the army and we would all like to extend our regrets. It has also come to my attention that the British Army is attacking the sanctuary that you are stationed in, a direct violation of the rules of engagement that armies all over the world follow. It disgusts me that an army said to be so proud and proper would dare violate these laws. In an attempt to even the score, I have sent to you a copy of the first book I have ever written, which details the battle tactics and strategies of the Prussian Army. Use it well. With these tactics, you cannot possibly lose. Once again I would like to express my sorrow for the death of your father and the deaths of your friends' parents. Another thing that you should know is that the man who I sent to deliver this package was your father's second-in-command. Good luck to all of you and God be with you._

_Sincerely, your friend and ally,_

_Frederick II, King of Prussia_

Christian's eyes widened as he read the signature he then looked down at the book in his hands entitled _Friedrich der Große auf der Kunst des Krieges. Frederick the Great on the Art of War._

For the first time in two weeks, Christian felt a surge of hope and it showed in his face. Emma noticed and she kneeled down beside him, placing her arm around his shoulder. Christian looked at her and beamed a smiled that she had not seem for so long.

"We might actually be able to pull this off." Christian said. For the next week, Christian was buried in the book, studying every detail, learning every technique. He began sending out spies to learn about the British positions. Everything had to be perfect for the final assault he was planning; the assault that would ultimately crush the attacking British forces.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Kennt Ihr Diese Farben? (Do You Know These Colors?)**

After three weeks had passed, both sides were falling. The British forces were finally beginning to waver but the Colonists were about spent. It was at this crucial point that Christian requested an audience with the commanders. They were taken to the barracks and Christian stood before themwith several papers in his hands. These detailed the enemy positions and troop strengths.

"Gentlemen, as you are aware we are falling to the British forces as they are only just beginning to waver while we are on the brink of collapse. It is at this time that I call the troops to action. I propose that we strike now when the Brits least expect it." The officers looked at each other in amazement. Strike now? The British would not expect a counter assault now - of course not - but there was no way that the soldiers could be rallied together at this point. It seemed hopeless, but nevertheless, Christian relayed his briefing to them.

Later that afternoon, Christian returned home to a curious Emma.

"Well, Christian, what did they say?"

Christian smiled at her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid I might be home a bit late tonight, sweetheart (Christian and Emma had started using nicknames for each other by now)."

"They accepted it!"

"Yes."

Emma threw her arms around Christian when she heard this. Normally she would have been terrified knowing that Christian was going off to battle, but after he received the letter from Frederick the Great, and after how she saw the hope that reentered his eyes and spirit, she knew that this was going to be a victory and she couldn't be more proud of her boy than now.

"The attack will begin tonight, when the Brits least expect it. One of our double agents has received information that the Brits are going to halt their attacks for one night to get some rest. Obviously they'll expect us to do the same. It's the perfect window of opportunity."

"Wait a minute." Andrew said. Andrew's temper had finally been tamed and he and Christian had reconciled. "How do we know that this isn't a British double agent?"

"Because it's James Watson." Emma replied. Christian smiled at the voice of his loved one. In fact, it was her idea to send James out as a double agent. Christian couldn't be more proud of her, as James played the part perfectly and the Brits didn't suspect a thing.

"Exactly. If there's one person I trust, it's James."

Emma gave Christian a playful look of shock after he said that. "Excuse me." he said. "If there's any _soldier_ I trust, it's James."

Emma laughed at Christian's "save" as he pulled her into a tight embrace followed by a kiss.

Night arrived faster than usual and Christian headed to the barracks to assemble the 52nd Brigade, which, in the last week, had earned the title "The Prussian Brigade," after Frederick the Great had offered another token to Christian and sent of large number of Prussian volunteers to aid in the fight. Luckily, the Prussians didn't wear out as quickly as the Americans. The Brigade even bore the Prussian flag; a great, black eagle with gold lining on the wings, a sword in one talon and a scepter in the other with the letters "FR" (meaning "Fridericus Rex", the Latin words for Frederick the Great) on the breast and a crown above the eagle.

Before heading out the door, Emma grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. The two looked into each other's eyes and smiled before Christian pulled her into another tight embrace. Emma looked at him with a slightly worried look, but still confident in her boy's abilities.

"Remember, Christian, you won't have the wall to protect you this time. Be very careful out there."

"Anything for you." Christian replied before planting a quick peck on Emma's lips. As he headed out the door, John came up and placed his arm around Emma's shoulder.

"You're a really lucky girl, Emma. And I…_we_ never apologized for poking fun at you for having feelings for Christian."

"Thanks, John. I'm glad you think that."

"No problem. And don't worry about Christian. He knows what he's doing."

Emma let out a deep sigh. "I sure hope so."

Meanwhile, the troops were assembling outside the barracks. The number of troops massed over five thousand (Yeah, that's one big damn fortress). The Prussian Brigade would be leading the assault, so it was a good thing that Christian had studied up on the tactics of the Prussian army. The plan was as follows: each battalion was to be given three cannons each, two six-pounders and one eight-pounder. An additional battery of ten twelve-pounders was to be given to every five battalions. The artillery would open fire at precisely midnight. After the enemy had been softened up, the Prussian Brigade was to lead a spearhead through the middle of the camp, along with the 14th and 72nd Colonial Militias. The 19th, 24th, 53rd, 63rd, 69th, and 72nd Regiments would follow in staggered formation. After driving the British out into the open, the battle would revert to traditional battlefield tactics. However, Christian had made sure that the men had mastered rank firing. The clocks all read 11:30 pm and Christian led the men out to the field. At his side was James Watson, their double agent who had performed so well.

"So, Christian, let's hope this plan works."

"I'm praying to the Almighty Father that it does."

At 11:45, the men were in position and were waiting for the artillery to open fire. Before the battle, Christian had taught the men a few basic German commands. Another thing that Christian decided to use to his advantage was his native tongue. In the 1700's, soldiers were not required to learn certain foreign languages as they are today, although it was advisable. Luckily, none of the British troops that the Colonists would be facing spoke German, so the German language was a valuable tool for the Americans.

Christian took out his pocket watch and looked at the time; midnight on the dot. He then raised his hand so that the artillery could see it, or at least a silhouette of it, saying "Kanonen auf der fertig…abzielen (Cannons at the ready…aim)," and dropped his hand and shouted "FEUER!" After he shouted this, the artillery batteries erupted and the rumble could even be felt (that's right, _felt_) back in the fortress. Andrew, Anna, John, Margret and Emma all felt the rumble of the cannons and Emma's heart began to race, knowing that the fight had begun.

Back on the battle ground, the troops watched in amazement as the British forces took round after round of several cannon shots, all different kinds of shots too. Not only were there solid shots, but the cannons also fired of exploding rounds that exploded over troops, raining down shrapnel, and the ball-and-chain shot that was usually used on ships to destroy the enemy's mast. These shots were devastating against enemy artillery, taking out the wagons that the actual cannons were placed on. The shelling continued for thirty minutes. After the guns had silenced, Christian ordered the men forward. The shelling left very little resistance in what was left of the camp, most of the enemy troops having left to escape the artillery fire. The camp was taken in less than ten minutes.

After that, the troops met in the open just a quarter of a mile away from the decimated camp. The British were in line and ready to fire and Christian rushed to get the men into position. The British had begun to open fire as the Americans formed up. By the time everyone was in place, the Americans had lost at least one hundred fifty men, including 30 from the Prussian Brigade. Christian then gave his orders to take aim and fire calling out the ranks first.

"Ersten Reihe…feuer!

Zweite Reihe…feuer!" and so on. The British were losing men at twice the rate of the Americans at this point. Soon, as the British troops were wavering, Christian unleashed his new weapon; a form of warfare that would not be used by the entire Continental Army until introduced by Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben in 1777. Christian then called out, "Festlegen Bajonette! (Fix bayonets!)" Every soldier did as instructed and then Christian called out to "Legen Waffen! (Charge weapons!)" And after the troops did so he called out his last order: "Stürmen! (Charge!)" Christian von München led the first bayonet charge of the American Revolution. The British morale was crushed as the saw the American flag dancing in the wind as it sped towards them, and even more so as they saw the great eagle of Prussia bearing down on them as if the eagle had come to life; as if it had spread its wings and flew from the cloth on which it was bound to attack its foes in red.

The British were finally broken and fled for their lives. The Colonists broke out in cheers as they waved their beloved flag. The cheering could be heard back at the sanctuary but Emma couldn't tell if it was the British or the Colonists. Soon, a courier began to run through the sanctuary shouting the Colonists victory and the group began to share in the excitement. John and Andrew began laughing in joy and the girls squealed and broke out in tears as they hugged each other.

As they were cheering, Christian saw a British officer attempting to crawl back to his men. Christian went up, rolled him over and placed his foot on his chest as he glared at him.

"Kennt ihr diese Farben?" he said. "Do you know these colors? When you return to your commander, tell him you were defeated by men of Prussia. Tell him that it was the 52nd Prussian Brigade that defeated you in battle." and with that, Christian let the officer go. As the officer limped away, he waved the Prussian banner, shouting, "Es lebe Preußen! Es lebe Amerika! (Long live Prussia! Long live America!)" When he shouted this, the men burst into even louder cheers. The sanctuary was finally safe.

The men returned to the sanctuary and were greeted by several cheerful civilians. Christian pushed made his way to the crowd, trying to find Emma. As he was walking through, he was greated by several people who gave him praises of _God bless you, Thank you for saving us, _and_ We'll pray for you._

He finally spotted Emma and began to push his way through the crowd to meet her. She ran up to him and she threw her arms around him. As he caught her, he lifted her up and spun her around once before bringing her into a long, passionate kiss.

"We've won. It's all over. We're safe." Christian said.

Emma began to let a few tears of joy leak from her eyes and brought Christian's lips to hers again. As they were kissing, the band began to play a more symphonic version of the song, 'To the Colors'. Christian and Emma looked up to see the Grand Union Flag flying proudly on the flagpole while the Colonists burned the Union Jack. As soon as the band finished playing 'To the Colors', they began to play the _Preußenlied_. Christian beamed a huge smile as he heard the song and Emma noticed his smile and slipped her hand into his, kissing him on the cheek. Soon, the entire Prussian Brigade was singing along to the tune, and Christian joined in with them, Emma just standing beside him, listening to his voice as the Colonists celebrated their victory over the formerly most powerful army in the world. Christian and Emma walked back to the house with the rest of the group, hand in hand. When they entered, Christian immediately sat down in the chair that faced the window and let out a deep sigh of relief. He was still alive and his plan worked. Emma came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. He looked up and smiled at her.

"I glad you're alright, sweetie." Emma said in a soft, quiet voice. Christian smiled and gave Emma a quick peck on the lips.

"I can't believe it actually worked. I owe a lot to Frederick the Great for this victory." Christian replied

"Well, it was _your _plan."

"It was _Frederick's_ tactics."

Emma giggled at Christian's modesty. "You shouldn't sell yourself short, Christian. You did a lot to contribute to this victory." Christian smiled as Emma hugged him from behind the chair. "But I do love how modest you are."

"Thanks, Emma. I love you."

"You too."

After one final kiss, Christian retreated to his room and produced a clean sheet of parchment and his quill and ink. He then began to write a letter to the man who made their victory possible.

_To Frederick II, King of Prussia,_

_I would like to thank you for sending me your book and I am writing to inform you of a great victory that has come from your tactics of war. Because of your book and your reinforcements, which I would also like to thank you for, the Prussian Brigade, along with the rest of the Continental Militia, struck a crushing blow against the British Army. It would seem now that it has been revealed that "the greatest army in the world" is vulnerable, even to what they would consider to be an army of peasants. Because of our victory over the British, our sanctuary is finally safe from attackers. The British morale has been crushed and they will not set foot within one hundred leagues of here ever again. I would like to thank you again for your book and military contribution and I pray that these tactics may take us even farther in the war, perhaps even to absolute victory and freedom. Thank you, my king._

_Sincerely, your loyal soldier,_

_Christian von München _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Continental Army/The Battle of Great Bridge**

After that last battle, things were quiet for quite some time. Christian continued to train hard with the Prussian Brigade and even communicated with Frederick the Great, who made sure to keep secret his aid to the Colonial Militia. The Prussians and the British had ties to each other no matter how weak or strong. Nevertheless, Frederick the Great never quite liked the British. His only reason for his alliance with them was to keep the French at bay. Britain proved to be a valuable ally in the Seven Years' War, but Frederick never liked the British themselves. Now their act of terrorism made things even worse.

Christian, however, enjoyed this peaceful time. He began to spend as much time as possible with Emma, considering that he nearly lost his life in the first battle. He wanted to take time to spend some of his life with his loved one. Emma was especially pleased by this. It had indeed been quite an eventful introduction into their relationship. She almost lost Christian after their first kiss and had never seen him very much during the British attacks. He would be gone every other hour and when he was home, he was so tired, he could barely talk. And in the week leading up to the final battle, he had practically vanished while planning the assault, save for the nighttime hours. He had saved that time to be with Emma. Still, it was nice to finally have Christian back without a battle going on; without the thought that he might not come back. The two enjoyed a long, peaceful silence from war. There were no cannons, no line infantry, no hussars, no muskets firing. There was just blissful silence accompanied by the sweet sound of a now safe sanctuary. Christian, of course, had become very well known as the one who saved the sanctuary. He was greeted by many people who constantly thanked him for what he had done for them. Of course, he found it a bit uncomfortable at times and Emma was fond of his modesty. For several months the peace continued, but the war was far from over.

Christian paid very close attention to what was happening in the rest of the country. On June 19, 1775, he and Emma read about the Battle of Bunker Hill. The papers described the result as a British pyrrhic victory. The word 'pyrrhic' through Emma off a bit, but knew that it must have had some good meaning behind it, as Christian wasn't completely discouraged by the outcome.

"Christian, what does 'pyrrhic' mean?"

"It means that the British suffered such heavy losses that the next battle will most likely be an American victory."

He was right, the next battle, the Battle of Gloucester, Massachusetts was a clear Colonial victory. For several months, the papers relayed information about the battles between the British and the Colonies, which was now the Continental Army, as declared by Congress. As Christian read these stories, he thanked God that he wasn't in the battles. This peacetime was changing how Christian viewed the war. His time with Emma caused him to become more reluctant to the idea of fighting in the Continental Army. However, he would soon be thrown back into the fray. These last months were his last in the sanctuary.

One night, near the end of November, as Christian was sitting with everyone else, his arms wrapped around Emma, they heard a knock on the door. Everyone jumped at the sound, for they knew that a knock on the door usually brought news of the war. So it did.

"Ah, Sergeant von München. I have a formal request by General Nathaniel Greene himself for audience with you tomorrow afternoon."

"Audience with Nathaniel Greene?" Christian asked in amazement.

"Yes. Quite an honor indeed. Do you accept?"

Christian took the letter from the soldier's hand and looked at it. An audience with General Greene was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, Christian knew exactly why Greene wanted to see him. He wanted to recruit the Prussian Brigade for the Continental Army. He looked over at Emma and the two locked eyes for a few moments before Christian turned back.

"I will attend this audience, but please inform the general that he will have to make a very strong case in order to recruit me and my brigade."

"Yes, sir. Good night."

Christian turned back and went back to Emma's side. The others were a bit confused by what he had said.

"Christian, what did you mean by 'recruit'?" Margret asked.

"Nathaniel Greene wants me and the Prussian Brigade to join the Continental Army."

"What?" Andrew asked. "Why does he have to make a strong case to get you the join? If it were me I'd take up the position in a heartbeat."

"Excellent. I'm sure you'd enjoy being separated from Anna for several years, the only connection you have to her being letters that may never be replied, marching through God knows what kind of terrain, fighting some battles against impossible odds. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Christian said in a sarcastic tone of voice. After he said this, the smile on Andrew's face disappeared. "I have far too much to lose."

"Oh, come on." Andrew said, trying to make his counterargument. "What do have to lose?"

"Emma. I don't feel obliged to be separated from Emma for years and years."

"You two have only been together for so many months."

"True. And you and Anna have been together for a couple of years now. But time doesn't matter, at least not to me. For those few months, my days with Emma have been the best days of my life and honestly, I look forward to spending much more time with her and I don't want to risk my life for a country I wasn't even born in and a definitely don't want to risk being separated from Emma for eternity." He then looked into Emma's eyes. "I love her."

Emma's eyes lit up after hearing that speech; after hearing Christian state that he would always love her. She placed her hand on his cheek and brought him into a passionate kiss. Anna smiled at the two, along with John and Margret. Andrew was smiling to but a smile of defeat that one sees on a child's face after losing a game with his friend.

The next day, Christian went to speak with General Nathaniel Greene.

"Ah, the great Christian von München, I presume?" Greene stated.

"Yes, sir." Christian said and saluted. Greene returned the salute and allowed Christian to sit down.

"So, I hear that you are a bit reluctant to join the Continental Army."

"I am."

"Why?"

"Two reasons. One, I have too much to lose. And two, I don't feel obliged to fight and die for a country that I wasn't even born in. I nearly lost my life once in that process and I don't intend on doing it again."

"Weren't born in?" Greene asked in puzzlement.

"I was born in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony. I am full born Prussian."

"Ah, yes that's right. I had forgotten that you are a Prussian. Well even though you weren't born here, surely you must believe in freedom for the oppressed."

"Yes. But I don't find it necessary to die for a country that is not mine."

"Oh? Then why do your Prussians fight?"

Christian was silent. He knew that he had lost that argument. He let out a deep sigh, signaling that he admitted defeat.

"There's another thing. Remember what the British did to your father, and your friends' parents. This is a chance for revenge."

Christian thought for a minute. The chance for revenge did sound enticing, but then his guardian angel spoke up and reminded him of what God thought of revenge. He looked back up at General Greene. "What will revenge do? Will revenge bring them back?"

"Well…no. But your contributions could help end the war more quickly."

"I still have one more reason for not going."

"Ah yes. What is this treasure that you fear to lose?"

"My girlfriend, Emma Chamberlain. She is very dear to my heart and I cannot bear to be separated from her."

"Oh…I'm afraid I don't know how to remedy that. That will have to be on your accord. Listen to me, Herr von München. If you join the Continental Army, your brigade could help end the war much more quickly. Please consider it." and with that Nathaniel Greene stood up, saluted and walked out.

Christian walked back to the house, a bit discouraged. He went into his room and sat at his desk, thinking about what Greene had said. Could his brigade really make that much of a difference in the war? As he was thinking, he felt Emma's arms wrap around his neck and felt her lips on his cheek.

"Hey, sweetheart." Emma purred. Christian looked up and smiled at her.

"Hey, beautiful." He then gave her a peck on the lips as he went back to thinking.

"So what did Greene say?"

"I gave my argument and he gave his. I initially turned him down, but it's up to him."

Emma was scared by what Christian just said.

"Wait. He can decide whether or not you join the Continental Army?"

"Me and the rest of my brigade."

Christian looked up at Emma and saw how scared she was. He then stood up and took her in his arms. "It'll be alright, Emma." he said.

"What if you get sent off to war though? What if…"

Christian gave her a reassuring gaze before bringing her lips to his. Their lips remained locked for several minutes, both of them completely absorbed in one another's embrace.

As they were kissing, they heard that dreaded sound; the sound of a fist meeting wood. Christian went over and opened the door to see Nathaniel Greene's adjutant.

"…What's the verdict?" Christian asked in a low voice.

"I'm afraid the general has overruled your argument. You and the Prussian Brigade are now part of the Continental Army."

Christian lowered his head and looked over at Emma who was wide-eyed and breathing relatively heavily.

"Very well." Christian said. "I won't argue with the general's decision."

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. I know that you were against it, but maybe it might help to inform you that the general wanted you because he considers the Prussians to be unmatched in combat."

Christian just gave the man a cold look. "Well, uh, anyway, the war's heating up and you should be prepared to head out soon. We'll expect you and your brigade to sign in at the barracks tomorrow." The adjutant left, leaving just Christian and Emma. Christian looked over at his girlfriend who was struck with fear for her boy. He went over and took her in his arms again. "I'm sorry, Emma…I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault…Just be careful."

The next day, Christian and his men were at the barracks with some other volunteers. The number of volunteers signing up numbered about 300 men. Luckily, with more refugees coming into the fort, there were still enough people to maintain the sanctuary. Christian was up next to sign his name. As he took the quill, he heard a voice to his right. "Chamberlain, Emma."

Christian's head shot up and he looked over to see Emma there.

"And which division are you interested in, Miss Chamberlain?"

"How's the medical staff for the Prussian Brigade?"

"Quite understaffed. I'll fill you in for that position."

"Thank you."

She then signed her name and smiled at Christian as she finished. After she left, Anna and Margret stepped forward and signed their names for the Prussian Brigade's medical staff, and after them, John and Andrew signed their names to the Prussian Brigade itself.

"Sir?" the clerk said to Christian who was standing there in shock at what his friends did.

"Sir?" Christian then snapped out of his trance and looked over at the clerk.

"If you'll sign your name, sir?"

"Oh…uh…right." Christian took the quill and signed his name on the parchment. After he signed he ran back out to find the group.

"What in Christ's name do you think you're doing?" he half shouted. "Are you out of your minds?"

"Christian, you're not going without us." John said.

"The hell I'm not. All of you are staying here."

"Christian." Emma said.

"Especially you, Emma."

"I'm in the medical department. What could happen?"

"Artillery strikes. The British couldn't care less about what the artillery hits."

Emma tried to argue but Christian kept up his counterargument.

"Christian, I'm not letting you leave me. You said yourself that you would never leave for so long. I can't bear it either."

Christian thought long for a counterargument. "…Emma…"

"Christian…you're not going alone. We're coming with you whether you like it or not."

Christian let out a sigh of defeat as he looked at the faces of his friends. He gave a weak smile before nodding his head.

The group was sent out a few days later to a place called Great Bridge, Virginia. According to recent reports, the Loyalists in the area tipped the British off about some weapons caches and the Brits intended to seize them. If it meant wiping out any rebel resistance, then so be it. The Patriots in the area called for any and all support. That was where the Prussian Brigade came in. Nathaniel Greene ordered them to head to Great Bridge to support them. The brigade arrived on December 3rd, just six days before the battle. The men quickly set up camp and met with the Patriot forces. Christian also managed to find the girls some shelter in the home of a Patriot family, who openly welcomed them. For six days, Christian and his men devised a plan for the defense of the town. He also had a few opportunities to write to Frederick the Great, informing him of the Brigade's first battle in the Continental Army.

On December 8, Emma told Christian that the family that they had been staying with wished for him, John and Andrew to join them for their evening meal. Christian gladly accepted it as camping out in the cold and wet was quite unpleasant. That night was a very cheerful one indeed. The family was a very pleasant Irish family who had immigrated to America in search of religious freedom. They had a son who had gone off to fight in an all-Irish regiment and was partaking in the Siege of Boston. They also spoke of how the British learned about the weapons cache.

"Apparently, the Brits were tipped off by a few o' the Tories in the town, one of them bein' our neighbor. Aye, I'd like ta shoot him one o' these days. Honestly I say ta Hell with him with never a drop o' stout ta quench his eternal thirst."

Christian chuckled at the man's curse. "Do the Irish have a gift for such quick and witty curses?"

"It's in our bloodline, boyo."

"Well, the Brits probably aren't too far away, so I suppose we'd better be going. Thank you very much for allowing us to dine with you."

"Our pleasure. Give both the Brits and the Tories what-for."

"Aye, sir." Christian replied. Emma decided to follow the boys to get a little fresh air, or so she told the Irish couple. She walked with Christian back to his tent just to talk with him, seeing as how they didn't talk much the last few days.

"Hey Christian, what's a Tory? What that man was talking about?"

"It's an Irish word that means _traitor_. That's what we call the Loyalists."

"Ah. Well, he doesn't seem to like them very much, does he?" Emma joked. Christian laughed at her remark.

"No he does not. Well, the Brits should be here any day. I just hope we can get through our first battle with the Continental Army."

"I'm sure you will." Emma replied in a soft voice. Christian smiled at his girlfriend and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Well, it's getting late. You should get some rest. I'll try to see you tomorrow…the key word being _try_."

Emma giggled at his remark and nodded her head. Christian then gave her a kiss goodnight before retiring himself. At 3:00 am, the Patriots sounded the alarm. The British forces were spotted just across the bridge. Christian quickly got out of his cot and began to prepare for battle. Within five minutes, he was ready to go. The Prussian Brigade took up positions near the bridge. They had set up a system of palisade walls near the bridge and cannon nests near the town. Everyone as in position by 3:30, but the British were not advancing. The long march had tired the men and General Samuel Leslie had halted them to let them rest. At dawn, he commenced his attack. He opened up by sending sixty grenadiers across the bridge to seize a foothold on the other side of the bridge. Unfortunately, they were in range of the Prussian's muskets the minute they stepped off the bridge. Christian ordered the men to open fire immediately and the lines erupted. As soon as the shots were heard, the artillery joined in with the chorus of battle.

During the opening skirmish, General Charles Fordyce brought up the navy gunners who had been brought along to operate the field guns while the Tory companies formed up and began to open fire on the Continental Army. Christian reloaded his weapon as bullets struck his palisade. As soon as he found a window of opportunity, he gave the order for his rank to fire on the Tories. They fired of a volley and eleven Tories fell dead. As they took cover, more and more bullets hit the wall. Soon, Christian began to hear artillery strikes. He peered over the wall to see artillery rounds striking the enemy troops. The Tories then fixed their bayonets and began to advance on the American positions. Christian called out for all Prussians to load weapons and wait for his orders.

John and Andrew were on the field with the Prussian Brigade as well. It was their first battle in the Revolution. As they were loading, a musket ball went straight through John's leg and he fell to the ground with a shriek of pain. However, he fell out of cover of the palisade and was in plain view of the enemy forces. Andrew reached over and pulled him back behind the wall just as a volley was fired. Christian was watching the whole time and his heart stopped as he saw the volley. He was relieved that john avoided it though. Andrew then called over to Christian.

"Christian, what's the German phrase for 'I need a medic'?"

"Sanitäter, hierher!" Christian called out.

"Sanitäter, hierher!" Andrew repeated and a medic quickly ran to John's side.

"Nehmen Ziel!" Christian shouted and the men stood up and aimed their weapons at the British. "Feuer!" The Prussian Brigade fired off a volley and British General Charles Fordyce fell to their bullets. The men then noticed a great deal of musket fire coming from the left. Christian looked over and saw the Minutemen firing on the British flank. The advance was quickly dissolved and the British Army had no choice but to retreat. General Leslie sounded the retreat and the battle was over. The Americans had won. The ending casualty count was 62-102 killed or wounded British to one wounded American: John Wilkinson.


End file.
